Finally walked the Brooklyn Bridge. I remembered from David McCullough’s “The Great Bridge” how much suffering went into erecting this lofty and grand connector. Lots of bends for the workers; it ruined the lead architect, who’d survived the Civil War. Now walking it…The great buildings lay in front of you like you are in an art gallery about to bid. And of course, dominating the skyline, the new sinuous World Trade Center building: slim, smooth and glassy, with eye bending curves, stabbing the open air.
You walk, making little human steps to cover the miles, very small, yet elevated. And, there, at the edge of the boardwalk covering the roof the bridge, hucksters selling trinkets and portraits. One second a good deal on a key chain–two inches further, a precipitous drop to the automotive feeding frenzy below.
All in all, a great structure–with the human element always present, as Ken Burns’ fine documentary makes mention. I know fear for all public monuments. Our leaders have mortgaged what we should be giving to our grandchildren. If Trump buys it, however, he doubtless will cover the bridge in reflective glass, reshape the towers into massive capital T’s, and all the working class walkers and drivers will be ejected so that only the very rich can enjoy the connection of the two boroughs.
Marc Songini 